Wetmorena haetiana ( Cochran 1927 )

Schools, Molly & Hedges, Blair, 2024, A new forest lizard fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Diploglossidae, Celestinae), Zootaxa 5554 (1), pp. 1-306 : 259-263

Wetmorena haetiana ( Cochran 1927)

Stout Earless Forest Lizard

(Fig. 98–99)

Wetmorena haetiana Cochran, 1927:91 . Holotype: USNM 72600 , collected by Dr. A. Wetmore on Morne Cabaio, Ouest department, Haiti, on 10 April 1927 (18.3569, -72.2589; 2,241 m).

Wetmorena haetiana — Barbour, 1930:100.

Wetmorena haetiana — Barbour, 1935:123.

Wetmorena haetiana — Barbour, 1937:140.

Wetmorena haetiana — Cochran, 1941:259.

Wetmorena haetianus — Schwartz & Henderson, 1988:197.

Wetmorena haetianus — Schwartz & Henderson, 1991:553.

Celestus haetianus — Hedges et al., 2019:17.

Wetmorena haetiana — Schools & Hedges, 2021:232.

Wetmorena haetiana — Landestoy et al., 2022: 205.

Material examined (n=38). HAITI. Ouest. ANSP 38717–8 , S. Blair Hedges, Richard Thomas, Elizabeth Rochel, Eladio Fernandez, Berry , 19 November 2009 ; ANSP 38719–22 , S. Blair Hedges, Richard Thomas, Elizabeth Rochel, Eladio Fernandez, Morne Cardineau , 18 November 2009 ; ANSP 38726 , S. Blair Hedges, Richard Thomas, Elizabeth Rochel, Eladio Fernandez, Morne La Visite, Sink hole in P. La Visite next to ridge crest, 19 November 2009 ; ANSP 38743 , S. Blair Hedges, southeast of Pic La Selle , 20 November 2011 ; ANSP 38744–5 , S. Blair Hedges, Richard Thomas, Elizabeth Rochel, Eladio Fernandez, Waterfall in Parc La Visite , 18 November 2009 ; SBH 268542–3 , Morne Cardineau ; SBH 268564 , Morne La Visite , Sink hole in P. La Visite next to ridge crest ; USNM 72600–1 , USNM 72604 Dr. A. Wetmore, Morne Cabaio (= Morne du Cibao), Massif de la Selle, 10 April 1927 . Sud-Est. ANSP 38727–42 , S. Blair Hedges, Tiffany Cloud, Miguel Landestoy, Marcos Rodriguez, Southeast of Pic La Selle , 20 November 2011 ; SBH 269929–30 , Pic La Selle Sud-Ouest . Barahona. KU 79722–5 , 24 km SW Barahona , 2 August 1963 .

FIGURE 98. (A–F) Wetmorena haetiana ( USNM 72600, holotype), SVL 95.0 mm.

Diagnosis. Wetmorena haetiana has (1) a dorsal pattern of absent/irregular dots/lineate, (2) head markings absent/present, (3) markings in the longitudinal paramedian area absent/present, (4) dots arranged in bars in the lateral band absent, (5) a maximum SVL of 78.3–102 mm, (6) ventral scale rows, 100–126, (7) midbody scale rows, 34–39, (8) total lamellae on one hand, 18–26, (9) total strigae on ten scales, 96–144, (10) relative length of all digits on one hindlimb, 13.0–18.2 %, (11) relative distance between the angled subocular and mouth, 0.135 –0.600 %, (12) relative eye length, 2.53–3.74 %, (13) relative forelimb length, 12.4–15.7 %, (14) relative ear width, 0.00 %, (15) relative rostral height, 1.62–2.48 %, (16) relative head length, not applicable, (17) relative mental width, 1.45–1.78 %, (18) relative postmental width, 2.16–2.82 %, (19) relative cloacal width, 6.26–7.64 %, (20) relative prefrontal width, 3.44–4.60 %, (21) relative largest supraocular width, 1.99–2.38 %, (22) relative longest finger length, 2.65– 3.63 %, (23) relative distance between the ear and eye, not applicable, (24) relative head width, not applicable, (25) relative frontal width, 75.6–97.3 %, (26) relative nasal height, 0.777–1.19 %, (27) relative angled subocular height, 0.940–1.52 %, (28) relative distance between the eye and naris, 3.02–5.20 %, (29) relative canthal iii length, 0.800–1.14 %, (30) relative angled subocular width, 1.71–2.39 %, and (31) relative nasal length, 1.47–1.92 %. The species stem time is 2.76 Ma and the species crown time is 0.00 Ma (Fig. 4).

We distinguish Wetmorena haetiana from the other species of Wetmorena based on a complex of traits. From Wetmorena agasepsoides , we distinguish W. haetiana by the adult SVL (78.3–102 versus 49.1–58.6), the midbody scale rows (34–39 versus 27–31), the total lamellae on one hand (18–26 versus 14–17), the relative length of digits on one hindlimb (13.0–18.2 versus 9.44–11.2), the relative forelimb length (12.4–15.7 versus 8.05–9.58), the relative ear width (0.00 versus 0.292 –0.634), the relative prefrontal width (3.44–4.60 versus 2.77–3.35), and the relative longest finger length (2.65–3.63 versus 1.44–2.01). From W. mylica , we cannot distinguish W. haetiana based on our standard suite of characters, although Schwartz (1965) was correct that W. haetiana has a dark brown venter whereas W. mylica has a cream venter. From W. obscura sp. nov., we distinguish W. haetiana by the adult SVL (78.3–102 versus 46.9–61.1), the total strigae on ten scales (96–144 versus 73–83), the relative longest finger length (2.65–3.63 versus 4.08–5.35). From W. orosaura sp. nov., we distinguish W. haetiana by the adult SVL (78.3–102 versus 59.6–68.0), the relative length of digits on one hindlimb (13.0–18.2 versus 18.6–19.7), the relative forelimb length (12.4–15.7 versus 16.9–17.2), and the relative longest finger length (2.65–3.63 versus 3.86–4.46). From W. surda , we distinguish W. haetiana by the relative width of canthal iii (0.800–1.14 versus 1.17–1.33).

Description of holotype. USNM 72600. An adult; SVL 85.0 mm; tail nearly cylindrical, 60.2 mm (70.8% SVL); axilla-to-groin distance 48.3 mm (56.8% SVL); forelimb length 13.0 mm (15.3% SVL); hindlimb length 22.6 mm (2.66% SVL); head width 12.7 mm (14.9% SVL); diameter of orbit 3.18 mm (3.74% SVL); horizontal diameter of ear opening 0.00 mm (0.00% SVL); vertical diameter of ear opening 0.00 mm (0.00% SVL); length of all toes on one foot 15.5 mm (18.2% SVL); shortest distance between angled subocular and lip 0.51 mm (0.600% SVL); longest finger length 2.70 mm (3.18% SVL); largest supraocular width 1.87 mm (2.20% SVL); cloacal width 6.49 mm (7.64% SVL); mental width 1.37 mm (1.61% SVL); postmental width 2.40 mm (2.82% SVL); prefrontal width 3.91 mm (4.60% SVL); frontal width 87.1% frontal length; nasal height 0.97 mm (1.14% SVL); angled subocular height 1.04 mm (1.22% SVL); shortest distance between the eye and naris 4.42 mm (5.20% SVL); canthal iii width 0.88 mm (1.04% SVL); angled subocular width 2.03 mm (2.39% SVL); nasal width 1.56 mm (1.84% SVL); rostral 2.09X as wide as high, barely visible from above, not in contact with nasals, in contact with 1 st supralabial and anterior internasal (left)/(right); anterior internasals are slightly wider than posterior ones; frontonasals and prefrontal fused into a single large plate with a slightly concave posterior margin, much wider than long, bordered by posterior internasals, 1 st loreals, 1 st median oculars, and the frontal; frontal longer than wide; a pair of frontoparietals, separated by the posterior prolongation of the frontal and the interparietal plate; interparietal plate smaller than parietals and separating them, posteriorly touching the interoccipital, which is wider than long; parietal separated from supraoculars by 1 st and 2 nd temporals and frontoparietal (left)/(right); nasal single; nostril above suture between 1 st and 2 nd supralabials (left)/(right); 1 postnasal (left)/(right); 2 loreals (left)/(right); 1 st loreal higher than wide (left)/(right), in contact with postnasal, posterior internasal, prefrontal/frontonasal complex, 1 st median ocular, canthal iii, 2 nd loreal, and 3 rd supralabial (left)/(right); 2 nd loreal shorter than 1 st, higher than wide (left)/(right), excluded from contact with supraocular by canthal iii (left)/(right); final loreal posteriorly bordering the upper and lower preoculars (left)/(right); canthal iii barely wider than high (left)/(right), contacting 1 st median ocular, anterior supraciliary, upper preocular, and 1 st and 2 nd loreals (left)/(right); 11 (left)/10 (right) median oculars, 1 st contacting the prefrontal (left)/(right); 1 upper preocular (left)/(right); an irregular anterior supraciliary (left)/ (right); 6 lateral oculars (left)/(right); 5 temporals (left)/(right); 2 suboculars (left)/(right); posterior subocular large and elongate (left)/(right); anterior subocular small (left)/(right); 9 supralabials (left)/(right), 5 to level below center of eye (left)/(right); 10 (left)/9 (right) infralabials, 5–6 (left)/6 (right) to level below center of eye; mental small, followed by a single, larger postmental; 4 pairs of enlarged chin shields; 1 st pair in contact with one another; 2 nd –4 th pairs separated by 1–2 scales; 114 transverse rows of dorsal scales from interoccipital to base of tail; 116 transverse rows of ventral scales from mental to vent; 40 scales around midbody; 4 digits; finger lengths 3>2>4>1; 7 (left)/8 (right) lamellae under longest finger; 23 total lamellae on one hand; toe lengths 3>2>4>1; 11 (left)/11 (two are fused) (right) lamellae under longest toe; keelless and striate dorsal body and caudal scales; smooth ventral scales; 106 total strigae counted on ten scales.

FIGURE 99. (A–B) Wetmorena haetiana (ANSP 38727, SBH 269913), in life. From southeast of Pic La Selle, Sud-Est Department, Haiti. Photograph by SBH.

Color (in alcohol): dorsal surface of head medium brown with some darker brown mottling; lateral surfaces of head grading from medium brown to pale tan with darker brown eye masks and spots on the labial scales; dorsal surfaces of the body are medium brown with some darker brown flecks, most prominent on the neck; dorsal surface of tail medium brown with some darker brown mottling and flecks that form lines; lateral areas are darker brown with cream spots; dorsal surfaces of the limbs are dark brown with cream spots; lateral and ventral areas of the limbs do not grade but the cream spots disappear; ventral surfaces of the head, body, and tail are dark brown with cream spots that fade down the tail.

Variation. The dorsal pattern of this species is variable. Several specimens lack a dorsal patten entirely, whereas specimens such as ANSP 38731 have mottling on their entire dorsum. The majority of specimens have irregular dots that extend along their entire dorsum, occasionally occurring as an extension of the longitudinal paramedian lines or in multiple series. Almost every specimen of this species has darker outlines on their head scale borders and more than half have dark, irregular areas on their head scales. Markings in the longitudinal paramedian area range from being completely absent to irregular dots to dots in series to broken and complete longitudinal paramedian lines. Many specimens have dots that occur in the lateral band; however, they are not comparable to the dots arranged in bars in the other genera (particularly Panolopus ). Measurements and other morphological data for the holotype and other examined material are presented in Table 1.

Distribution. Wetmorena haetiana is distributed in the Massif de la Selle in southeastern Haiti at elevations of 1330–2250 m (Fig. 95). It has an extent of occurrence of ~ 710 km 2.

Ecology and conservation. Past literature accounts of ecological data for this species conflate multiple species and therefore cannot be used.

We consider the conservation status of Wetmorena haetiana to be Endangered B1ab(iii), based on IUCN Redlist criteria ( IUCN 2023). It faces a primary threat from habitat destruction resulting from agriculture and charcoaling. Haiti is heavily deforested with <1% of the nation’s primary forest remaining ( Hedges et al. 2018). Secondary threats to this species include predation from introduced predators, including the mongoose and black rats. Studies are needed to determine the health of any remaining populations and threats to the survival of the species.

Reproduction. Past literature accounts of reproductive data for this species conflate multiple species and therefore cannot be used.

Etymology. The species name ( haetiana ) refers to this species’ distribution in Haiti.

Remarks. Although Wetmorena haetiana and W. mylica differ only in ventral coloration, they are not closest relatives, are genetically distinct from one another (Fig. 3), and have been diverged for 5.57 My (Fig. 4).

Wetmorena haetiana is included in our genetic dataset and has significant support in both Bayesian and ML likelihood analyses at the crown node of the species and the stem node that places it as the closest relative of W. orosaura sp. nov. Based on our timetree (Fig. 4), Wetmorena haetiana diverged from that species 2.76 Ma, consistent with typical species of vertebrates (> 0.7 Ma; Hedges et al. 2015). Wetmorena haetiana also occurs in sympatry with W. orosaura sp. nov. Our ASAP analysis recognized W. haetiana as a distinct species.